After the release of patch notes 1.03, which alters the Guardian rifle among other tweaks and quality of life changes, Riot Games have added in another major change that the latest patch will bring to the competitive shooter. The change affects how overtime works, making it a bit more complicated than ever before.

The New vs The Old

The old overtime (OT) in Valorant was very simple. At a tied score at 12:12, there would be one additional definitive round in which each player on each side receives 5000 credits to spend. The teams stay on their respective sides before the overtime starts. The winning team would then win the match at 13:12, denying the possibility of a draw. The new overtime system is much more complex than that. Here are the rules of the new overtime format taken from the patch notes:

Competitive matches have a new win-by-two overtime format with automated votes on whether the game should continue or end in a draw.

Instead of playing a single sudden death round, teams will alternate playing rounds on attack and defense until a team claims victory by being up by 2 rounds.

Each round will have a full reset, setting all players at 5000 credits and 4 points short of their ultimate.

After every two rounds of overtime, an automated vote will trigger to determine if the match should continue or end in a draw

The threshold for continuing the match will become stricter as more rounds have been played:First vote: 6 players needed to end match in a draw

Second vote: 3 players needed to end match in a draw

Third vote and on: 1 player needed to end match in a draw

If the vote fails, the match will end in a draw.

Players might gain rank off a draw but will never lose rank

In theory, the new overtime system could go on indefinitely. Now, a team needs to win by winning two rounds in a row to come out victorious in the match. After each overtime draw (both teams win 1 round each), the teams will now vote whether to draw the match entirely, or keep going to see who is the better team. Of course, the likeliness of OT going on for hours is unlikely, especially that by the third vote onward, it’s enough that 1 player votes to end in a draw to conclude the match.

The new overtime is definitely an improvement in one area. Now, the teams must win a round on both, the attack, and defense side. In the previous do or die overtime system, this was not an option. Your team would stay on the side that you were on before the overtime started.

The fact that “Players might gain rank off a draw but will never lose a rank” definitely makes drawing the match enticing as you don’t risk much. If you and your opponents are drawing, it means that you’re probably on similar levels. Sometimes, shaking hands and calling it a day may be the safer and better option.

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